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Board adopts grading, promotion, device and acceptable-use policies; calendar adds conference days
Summary
On final readings the board adopted new district policies revising grading/reporting (IHA), placement/promotion/retention (IE), the instructional role of student learning devices (IFB), internet acceptable-use (IFBG), and the SY2026–27 code of conduct; the board also amended the school calendars to add parent–teacher conference days in October and January.
The Cherokee County School Board on April 23 completed a package of policies and calendar changes the district said respond to teacher and family feedback gathered through surveys and focus groups.
Dr. Heath presented the final-reading policy IHA on grading systems, which returns third-grade report cards to numerical grading and establishes course-failure and recovery options. The policy defines options such as unit recovery (available to all students during the year), course extension (limited to students with grades of 65–69 and fewer than 10 unexcused absences), credit recovery (for 55–69 with fewer than 10 unexcused absences), and reenrollment or summer options for lower grades.
“Parents and families can expect greater clarity on their students’ progress and personalized detail on intervention plans,” Dr. Murdoch said during the briefing on early-reading and grading changes.
The board also adopted updated placement, promotion and retention policy language that sets clearer communication timelines and a common rubric for determining at-risk students. For middle and high school the district will implement course-recovery and credit-recovery options and reintroduce summer school for students who need it starting summer 2027.
On technology policy, the board adopted IFB (instructional role of student learning devices). District leaders emphasized the one-to-one rollout in middle school as a tool for instruction that does not replace teachers; devices will be assigned for the school day, returned to predetermined locations each day, and may be checked out for home use when appropriate. The district said funding sources include SPLOST and other allocations.
The board also approved an updated acceptable-use policy (IFBG) to align with state requirements aimed at student safety on social media; the policy limits student social-media use to age-appropriate, staff-supervised instructional resources during school activities and requires employees to maintain professional boundaries in digital communications.
All of these policy and calendar actions were adopted by unanimous vote.
